Sol–gel derived LaNiO3 thin films on ZrO2-buffered (1 0 0) Si substrates

Perovskite LaNiO3 (LNO) thin films with a strong (1 0 0)-orientation were fabricated on yttrium-stabilized-zirconia (YSZ)-buffered silicon substrates using a sol–gel method. The YSZ buffer layer showed a stable tetragonal phase, and proved to be effective to suppress inter-diffusion between the Si substrates and the LNO films. Our obtained LNO films on the YSZ buffer layer exhibited a homogenous and smooth surface, with an average grain size below 0.1 μm. The resistivity of the LNO films was in the magnitude order of 10−4 Ω cm. The crystallographic orientation and low resistivity make the sol–gel derived LNO films very attractive as the bottom electrode layer for perovskite oxide ceramic thin films.